AngelFire

by Luke Valen

  I needed to see her again. Tonight.

  But where?

  —§—

  Ding-dong.

  The bell echoed throughout the empty caverns that was Abigail’s house.

  Ding-dong.

  “Coming!” Abigail responded, tucking away a large leather-bound book underneath her bed and putting down her pencil from where she had been meticulously scribbling in her notebook. “One second! Almost there!”

  Cherry stood on the front step impatiently waiting as Abigail opened the front door.

  “Dang, Abby. Making me wait like ten years, geez! Hey, do you have a different dress I can borrow? My mom made me wear this hideous creature.” Cherry kept rambling as she pushed her way past Abigail.

  Decorated in gold and ivory, the white marble floors glistened as the two made their way through the immense complex. Ceilings so high the only way to tell where they stopped was by the hanging crystal and diamond chandeliers. Glass cases filled with ancient artifacts furnished each room, and Abigail often wondered if she lived in a house or a museum.

  The two made their way up the spiral staircase into Abigail’s room. Just like any other sixteen-year-old girl, it smelled of roses and hope. Although, rather than having walls covered in pink paint and posters of boy bands, hers were lined with books upon books. A library of sorts. Big books, little books, new books, and old books.

  “Abigail, you nerd. Do you actually read any of these or do you just like to pretend?” Cherry leafed through a book before tossing it onto the bed. “Dumb question. Of course you read them. You’re Mr. Allan’s favorite student.”

  Abigail pasted a smile on her face. Was it wrong to read books? Was it really such a crime to prefer diving into a juicy story, be it fact or fiction?

  “What’s this?” Cherry asked, grabbing Abigail’s personal journal and sitting on the Egyptian-spun bedding.

  She lifted the soft brown leather book, the edges worn and wrapped in a rope like piece of its own leather. Just as Cherry was about to unravel it, Abigail noticed. “Stop!”

  “Huh?” Cherry paused in a moment of confusion. These two shared everything with each other, even if Abigail didn’t necessarily like to share everything.

  “I mean…Please, don’t. It’s just…it’s nothing.” Abigail stumbled on her words as she reclaimed the journal from Cherry’s curious clutch.

  Cherry shrugged. “Sure. Whatever. Anyway, about the dress?”

  Cherry’s puppy eyes were honestly repulsive, but Abigail felt herself relenting. “Oh, yeah. Just grab whatever you want from my closet.”

  Cherry stood up and made her way to the vastly oversized walk-in closet—a closet that could easily have been a second bedroom. Abigail clutched the journal with only one thought running through her mind: Never let anyone see what’s inside.

  “What do you think of this one?” Cherry emerged, wearing a bright pink cocktail dress that was obviously one size too small for her. “I love the way it makes my boobs look.”

  “Yeah, totally,” Abigail lied. “Go with that one.”

  “Okay. I have what I’m wearing.” Cherry turned slowly from side to side, checking herself out in the mirror. “What are you wearing?” A hint of judgment tipped her words.

  “This.” Abigail shrugged, looking down at the plain red V-cut T-shirt and navy blue denim jeans she wore. “I figured the party wasn’t gonna be too formal or anything.”

  Abigail was an oddly humble and conservative girl, considering her father was the richest man in AngelFire. No one really knew what he did other than being a businessman.

  “You’re going to wear that? Didn’t you wear that to school today?” Cherry’s look of confusion warped into a frown as she examined Abigail. “You’ve got this never-ending closet and you choose that? Ugh, I’ll never understand you.”

  Abigail shrugged, letting the comments roll off her. Just like all of Cherry’s comments. She didn’t mean anything by it. Not really.

  Cherry sighed. “You cannot wear that.”

  “Why not?” Abigail asked, genuinely confused.

  “Because Chase Andrews. That’s why not.”

  “You say that like it means something.”

  “It does mean something, Abigail. Chase Andrews is only the most popular, cutest, sexiest guy in school.”

  “So?”

  “So? So! Ugh, fine. Whatever. We’re going to be late, so let’s just go. You can wear that…I guess. Ugh.” Cherry stormed out of the room and down the stairs.

  Abigail stared after Cherry and then glanced back over her outfit. What was so wrong with it? She felt good. Comfortable.

  “Let’s go!” Cherry yelled from somewhere down the hall.

  Just as Abigail was lacing up her red-and-white tennis shoes, an odd feeling swept over her. As if someone were watching her. Her eyes darted from side to side, like an estranged animal searching for its predator, checking every corner of the room.

  Nothing.

  This wasn’t the first time she’d felt like someone was watching her. Fear engulfed her soul—something felt off tonight. Like it was a comfort blanket, she reached for her little brown journal, tucked it away in the pocket of her red leather jacket, brushed off the eerie feeling, and finished tying her shoe, trying to ignore her unsteady fingers, and then headed out the door.

  “’Kay, ready. Let’s go!” She paused, looking back to examine her room one last time.

  Still nothing.

  Always nothing.

  CHAPTER 2

  REALITY CHECK

  A constant pounding of music could be heard from the house as Cherry and Abigail approached the party. The two-story cabin was lit up by black light. A purple haze emitted from the windows and the muffled sound of chatter escaped the cracks of wood. Tucked away in the forest hills, the house was secluded. Only the trees and stars could lay witness that a party ensued. Making their way through the sea of red cups that cluttered the steps, the two drew near to the door.

  “Okay, just don’t act, ah…just be normal, cool?” Cherry said in the kindest way possible as she reached out her closed fist to knock on the door.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  The two stood there awkwardly awaiting their knock to be answered and invited to join in on the festivities. Twiddling their thumbs, looking straight ahead, not at one another. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, the door swung open.

  “Hey.” Chase answered the door himself, looking from girl to girl, analyzing them for a moment before recognizing the two.

  Cherry smiled from ear to ear, gawking at his beauty. Abigail forced a smirk.

  “Um…Cherry right? And Abigail. What’s uppp? Come on in, ladies. Join the party!” Chase waved them in with a big smile, swinging the door completely open.

  “Thanks, Chase. Sorry we’re late. Abigail couldn’t decide what to wear!” Cherry lied as she became spellbound by her host.

  Leaving the quiet serenity of the surrounding forest, the two entered the wild jungle. Human animals running rampant, fueled by poison water. All trying to impress the other, the males puffing their chests, the females doing the same. Performing acts of strength through arm wrestling, songs with guitar, or dance in order to find a potential mate.

  Let the breeding rituals begin.

  Cherry disappeared quicker than a bad magician at a nightclub in Vegas. Abigail, confident on her own, felt none the different—it was actually a sigh of relief. She proceeded to move through the masses packed together like cattle. The deafening music made yelling the only way possible to be heard ever so slightly when asking, “Excuse me. Pardon me.”

  She was too kind. Everyone said as much. But she couldn’t seem to stop it, or even tone it down. The kindness just popped right out, before she could even think.

  There was that feeling again. It hit her as she was cutting her way through the thickened jungle floor. Someone was watching her.

  The hair on her arms stood to attention as the bumps rose from their slumber. The ro
om fell silent. All around her, silence, despite people’s mouths moving and their bodies dancing. Like someone had hit the mute button. No music. No singing. No talking. Abigail’s eyes once again darting from side to side.

  “Hello?” She heard her own voice, loud and clear. “Excuse me.” She attempted to move past a partygoer, yet he continued his conversation, leaning forward to flirt with the girl and proceeding to block more of the doorway.

  “Can I get past?” she asked, louder.

  Neither of them looked at her. Abigail looked around. No one else moved—no one looked at her. It was as if she were invisible.

  “Hello!” She snapped her fingers and waved her hands. The snapping echoed throughout the room. No other noise. Not a sound.

  Nothing.

  Nothing. Nothing. Noth…

  The sound of slow, heavy breathing filled her ears. The noise was as clear as day. All the people continued to move, to dance, like nothing was happening. Like they couldn’t hear what she heard. The wheezing air—inhaling and exhaling.

  Where was it coming from?

  Passing through the hallway, there it was. A creature of nightmares. In the other room beyond the archway it stood, looming. Its hair long and black, covered in what looked like hot tar. Its sunken-in eyes blazed with a crimson glow. Its skin was burnt and scarred, its legs bent backward at the knees like those of an ostrich, and long, bony arms with fingers the length of rulers; it stood threatening, drool falling from its snoutlike mouth.

  Its eyes locked on Abigail, and she could feel his gaze entering her very soul.

  Petrified by fear, her legs took root. She couldn’t move.

  She tried to break her stare away from the creature—she tried to run but only squirmed, like a helpless ant under the flames of the child’s torturous magnifying glass. The creature advanced, taking a step. With all her might, she tried to scream. Nothing came out. Not a single noise.

  Another step forward. It grew closer, never breaking eye contact.

  A heat filled the room as drops of sweat formed on her forehead. The smell of charcoal entered her lungs. With each step toward her, a burning red print was left in the creature’s path.

  In that moment, Abigail realized she was alone. The people around her all seemed to have disappeared. Her head locked into place, she darted her eyes around as she looked for her friends to help. No one. Nothing.

  Closer it stepped. Another step. Closer. Abigail’s lungs burned with each effort to scream, with nothing more than the sound of air dribbling off her lips. With all her strength, she fought to rip her legs from the ground and run.

  Its arm slowly rose as it reached up for her and—

  “Abby! What the heck are you doing, just standing here?!” Cherry fell in from out of nowhere, spilling some of her homemade cocktail on Abigail.

  The mixture of music and loud voices flooded her ears just as quickly as it had vanished. A second later, the people around her seemed to reappear, as if they’d never been gone.

  “What?” Abigail turned to Cherry, feeling the sweat dripping down her forehead. Then, she turned back to where the creature was, her eyes searching frantically.

  “What the heck are you staring at?” Cherry looked into the archway where people played drinking games or stood laughing or dancing. “Are you sweating? I told you not to act weird—you’re going to ruin everything for me!”

  “Cherry! You didn’t see that?” Abigail grabbed Cherry by the shoulders and pointed.

  “See what?” Cherry didn’t even try to hide the disgusted look on her face.

  “That thing! It was right there! It was all black and dripping oil and had red eyes and…” Abigail pulled Cherry to the middle of the archway.

  People were beginning to stare.

  “Abigail! You’re acting crazy! What did you smoke?” Cherry laughed, playing it off. “You bitch, holding out on me! Come on. Chase wants you to meet his friend.” She grabbed Abigail’s hand, dragging her through the halls. Everyone went back to their mating rituals, no time to waste on a crazy girl.

  Abigail looked back, trying to find the creature as she was pulled through the house.

  What had happened? What was that?

  Had she been dreaming?

  Her mind ran wild.

  —§—

  Like I said, I hated social gatherings.

  The thought of having to interact with another human being nauseated my innermost core. Yet, I had this overwhelming feeling that I had to go—I had to see her. Somehow, I could feel that something was off. That she needed me.

  The cold night air tickled my nose, the crisp smell of icy wind creeping into my nostrils. Winter was beginning. The cabin drew closer with each dragging step. The only thing moving me forward was the revolving thought of her face and the feeling inside.

  The night sky had only been illuminated by soft starlight, and the front door had been left ajar as I made my way up the steps. The music was drowning, and the people ran rampant. Wild animals, the lot of them.

  She has to be here somewhere, I thought to myself. Making my way through the zoo, I got those eyes again. As if they knew something about me that I didn’t. Judging. Condemning. The whites of their eyes glowed in the purple haze of the black light.

  “Cool peacoat, Neo!” someone yelled from the masses as the hyenas laughed.

  I paid no attention. I was here for one reason only. Stop looking at me. She isn’t here. I should just—what was that?

  Passing through the crowd of mindless adolescents, I stopped. It couldn’t be what I thought it was. Out of the corner of my eye, I had caught a glimpse. Backtracking, I took a couple steps in reverse. Kids bumped into me left and right, jostling for position, trying to get to the watering hole. Real slow, I made my backward approach, keeping my eyes facing forward.

  Stopping at the opening of an archway just to my left, I looked over. I had seen exactly what I thought I saw.

  The same blazing crimson eyes I had seen in the alleyway. This time, the creature was in plain sight. It wasn’t hiding in the darkness of shadows.

  Am I going crazy?

  With its long, snoutlike face, it leaned in closer to one of the jock boys it was standing next to. Seeming to whisper something into the football player’s ear. Just as the creature finished whatever it was saying, it stood back to position, and the guy began pulling something from his jacket pocket.

  Did no one else think this was weird? That some non-human creature was just casually standing in the middle of a high school party? What kind of crazy stuff were these people into? This was exactly why I hated social gatherings. Put a freaking monster in the middle of the party and no one cares!

  A pill. The jock pulled a small white pill from his pocket. He was standing next to Cherry when he did it—I would recognize that girl anywhere. The guy had no idea I was watching him the whole time. He waited for her to look away and dropped it in her drink, trying to be slick. What a sack of dirt. I’m gonna kick his—

  “Hey!” I stormed past the archway into the room, fully focused on the trash bag of a jock.

  Their eyes turned to me. As did his. The chatter came to a halt. Music still blaring. All eyes were on me. The creature shifted ominously. Staring at me with a deep intensity as if wanting to lunge.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” I yelled, shifting my focus to the creature, its head twisting curiously. As if confused I could see it.

  The mumbles of the crowd buzzed in the silence. Someone had stopped the music.

  “Who is that?”

  “Who is he talking to?”

  “Seriously, what’s his problem?”

  “…the homeless kid…I’ve seen him around town. What a freak.”

  Its head turned ever so slightly without breaking its gaze. Analyzing me.

  “Yeah you—I’m talking to you!” A burning anger grew within me. Every nerve, every muscle, every cell was under my control. A feeling unknown to me, it felt…good.

  The creature se
emed confused and growing impatient. Like it couldn’t get the information it was looking for as it attempted to penetrate my mind. Steam and smoke billowed from its body as it filled its lungs.

  I stood my ground. “You think I’m afraid of you?”

  The fury grew. My eyes filled with rage.

  The emotions in the room were split into two: fear and laughter. The hyenas were at it again, cackling in mockery. Could they not see…it? That massive thing standing smack in the middle of the room. How was that possible?

  The creature’s focus shifted quickly, twisting its head. It was looking at my arm—no, my wrist.

  My wrist was burning. It felt like it was on fire.

  Just for a brief second, I looked down to see what had it so curious. The place that my birthmark had been was now visibly burning red hot. Quickly, I returned my sights to the creature. Giving me one last look of frustration, it vanished. Gone. Just like the snap of the fingers.

  “Hey!” I jumped a little more into the room. “Get back here!”

  It was no use.

  I felt someone grab my arm, their grip tight, and turned to see Chase.

  “Okay, psycho, you gotta go,” he said.

  Had none of them seen this creature? Was I really the only one?

  “Hey you!” I directed my attention to the dirtbag jock who had dropped the drugs in Cherry’s drink. “You think it’s cool to drug girls?” I pointed to the drink.

  The fizzling of the opiate persisted.

  Looking down, Cherry took the cup and hurled it all over the lowlife jock. “You ass!” Surrounding partygoers dodged the collateral damage as the piece-of-trash child-boy stood there, dripping on the floor and wiping his eyes. I was at least five feet away, a good enough distance not to worry about getting wet.

  Cherry stormed off. Out of the room and into the hallway, where she grabbed Abigail.

  Abigail.

  I noticed her for the first time as my attention followed Cherry’s exit, wondering how I’d missed her. She was just standing there, in the hallway behind me, staring. Her eyes were different than everyone else’s—she wasn’t judging me. In fact, she seemed to be looking at me with curiosity. Maybe even compassion.